New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the launch of the East Side Building Fund, a new $10 million initiative aimed at revitalizing commercial and mixed-use buildings in East Buffalo. Property owners interested in applying for funding must submit their applications by 4 p.m. on Friday, June 27, 2025. Public meetings and in-person office hours will be held throughout May and June to help prospective applicants prepare their proposals.

“My administration is continuing its commitment to help East Buffalo’s business property owners with the often-hard job of upgrading their buildings, which will in turn make our business districts more attractive, inviting and able to better serve Buffalo neighborhoods,” Governor Hochul said. “The East Side Building Fund considers the overall needs of a particular building and funds those needs through one source — creating clearer, streamlined access so that resources can move into the community more quickly.”

The new fund is part of the state’s broader effort to support economic development on Buffalo’s East Side and is an evolution of three earlier programs managed by Empire State Development (ESD): the East Side Commercial Districts Program, the Commercial Building Stabilization Fund, and the Community-Based Real Estate Development Training Program. By consolidating the efforts of these three programs into a single streamlined fund, the state hopes to simplify the application process and move funding into communities more efficiently.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight emphasized the benefits of the simplified process: “The East Side Building Fund is a community-focused program that offers a simplified approach for applicants to multiple East Side funds. I encourage commercial and mixed-use property owners to take advantage of this program with the goal of stimulating the economic revitalization of East Buffalo’s commercial districts.”

The program offers two distinct tracks for funding:

• Small Projects Track: This stream is for typical building renovations such as roofing, structural repairs, storefront and façade improvements, and signage. Grants will cover up to 90% of total project costs, capped at $400,000. The funds will be administered by Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Inc., which will pay construction contractors directly to minimize upfront costs for grantees.
• Anchor Projects Track: Designed for large-scale projects involving major restorations, new construction, or adaptive reuse, this track will reimburse up to 50% of total project costs, up to $2 million.

To qualify, projects must involve commercial or mixed-use buildings (such as retail on the ground floor with apartments above) located in or near East Buffalo’s priority business corridors — including Jefferson Avenue, Fillmore Avenue, Michigan Avenue, Genesee Street, and Bailey Avenue. Properties must be privately owned, and grant funds cannot be used on publicly owned facilities.

State Senator April N.M. Baskin hailed the program as a critical intervention for struggling neighborhoods. “The East Side Building Fund will bring much needed improvements to our abandoned and dilapidated commercial districts. This investment will breathe new life into our aging commercial buildings and help revitalize our once flourishing neighborhoods on Jefferson, Broadway and Bailey,” she said. “I am grateful to Governor Hochul and her economic development team for her continued and growing investment in Buffalo's East Side. I look forward to partnering with the Governor to ensure the East Side Building Fund is an economic multiplier that has a deep, profound impact that reverses the decades of divestment and decay that has plagued the East Side.”

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes echoed the sentiment. “The East Side Building Fund is another positive step in revitalization efforts for communities on the east side of Buffalo,” she said. “The East Side Building Fund encourages community investment for commercial and mixed-use properties and renovations for buildings many of us frequented in years past but have seen them deteriorate over generations. I thank the Governor Hochul’s office and Empire State Development for this program and implore community members to attend the public information meeting to learn more about the program.”

Examples of past successful projects funded through ESD’s earlier East Side programs include Sunshine Vegan Eats on Fillmore Avenue, Mr. Love and Sons Barbershop on Jefferson Avenue, Ann Rhod’s Tailoring on Bailey Avenue, and the UPS Store on Broadway. These investments have already transformed dozens of local buildings, empowering property owners and small businesses to restore historic spaces and bring vitality back to their neighborhoods.

Public information sessions are scheduled to begin on May 21 at the Northland Workforce Training Center. In-person application assistance will be available at 136 Broadway on multiple dates in late May and June, ensuring applicants have access to guidance throughout the process.

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz praised the initiative’s community-focused approach. “This revitalization effort is an investment in an historic community, invigorating it in a targeted way that builds critical mass smartly and will energize the East Side of Buffalo overall,” he said. “The East Side Building Fund will be a valuable and effective tool for improving Buffalo and I thank Governor Hochul for making it available.”

Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon added, “Revitalizing Buffalo’s East Side starts with investing in the people, places, and small businesses that make these neighborhoods thrive. The East Side Building Fund gives local property owners and entrepreneurs the tools they need to restore historic buildings, open new businesses, and reenergize our commercial corridors. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued partnership and for delivering meaningful resources that support the City of Buffalo and our residents.”

The East Side Building Fund is supported by the Regional Revitalization Partnership (RRP), a $300 million public-private initiative dedicated to boosting economic development in East Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Rochester. Participating philanthropic partners include KeyBank, M&T Bank, NBT Bank, and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Senior Program Officer Eric Phamdo emphasized the initiative’s community-driven nature. “Buffalo’s East Side is home to generations of history, culture, and entrepreneurial spirit. The East Side Building Fund is a community-led effort designed to lift up that legacy,” he said. “By strengthening and revitalizing our commercial and mixed-use corridors, we’re not only preserving the fabric of these neighborhoods but also creating opportunities for those who know and love them best.”

Other banking and philanthropic leaders also endorsed the initiative:

• Mike McMahon, KeyBank Buffalo Market President: “We look forward to witnessing the transformational impact this program will have...”
• Brad Dossinger, M&T Bank EVP of Community Reinvestment: “Through our participation... we are helping commercial and mixed-use property owners access critical resources...”
• Ken Pawlak, NBT Bank Western Region President: “We are pleased to see that the focus on Buffalo East Side is continuing...”

As Buffalo continues to recover and grow, state and local leaders see the East Side Building Fund as a powerful tool to ensure that revitalization is equitable and community-led — supporting the small businesses and property owners who have long been the foundation of these neighborhoods.

Originally reported by Governor New York Govt.